Seward County, KS, Courthouse IMG 5985 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0Grain elevator, Liberal, KS IMG 6000 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0Baker Arts Center, Liberal, KS IMG 6001 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0Adventure Bay Water Park, Liberal, KS IMG 5977 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0
Liberal is a small city of 19,099 in Kansas, with a median household income of $55,602
and a 2.7% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Liberal stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Liberal is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Liberal city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 89.0
Liberal's overall cost of living index is 89.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Liberal costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Liberal, KS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$128,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$825
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
62.5%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$55,602
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Liberal's violent crime rate is 255.9 per 100,000 residents
— 33% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
255.9 /100k
Property Crime
1140.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Liberal is served primarily by Liberal.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.9:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Liberal, KS
National Avg
School District
Liberal
—
Elementary Schools
5
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
9.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
69.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Liberal sees average highs of 47.6°F in January
and 93.2°F in July,
with 21.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 14.4 inches of snow per year.
Liberal's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Liberal roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $128,900 and median rent is $825/month.
Liberal's violent crime rate is 255.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1140.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Liberal are operated by Liberal.
The district has 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.9:1. 9.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Liberal, KS has a population of 19,099, a median household income of $55,602, and an unemployment rate of 2.7%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Liberal averages 47.6°F in January and 93.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 21.1 inches
with about 14.4 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Liberal, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 67901.
The population of Liberal, Kansas is 19,099 with a median age of 30.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Liberal: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $128,900, median household income $55,602, crime index 62 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Liberal side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
